Shield and Guide for Applying Eye Makeup

ABSTRACT

Guides are provided for use in applying eye makeup. Guide comprises flat pliable member having an upper edge and a lower edge extending away from an end and meeting at a point, and inner and outer surfaces. An adhesive having a weak to moderate bonding strength can be provided on the inner surface. A set of guides may be provided for use with the right and left eyes. Guide(s) may be adhered to a peel-away backing. Guide(s) can be adhered to skin so that the upper edge is positioned adjacent to the lower eyelid and extends from later corner of the eye to a lateral aspect of a corresponding eyebrow. Guide(s) can be adhered to the skin so that the upper edge is positioned adjacent to the upper eyelid. After application of makeup, guide(s) can be removed from the skin and re-adhered to the backing or discarded.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/582,544 for “Shield and Guide for Applying Eye Makeup” filed on Jan. 3, 2012, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention generally relates to a shield and guide for applying eye makeup.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Eye makeup has been used in cultures throughout the world for centuries. While the nature and form of eye makeup has developed over time, several problems are presented when applying eye makeup, such as, mascara, eyeliner, and eye shadow. One problem occurs during application. Eye makeup falls from an applicator or the skin on which it was applied and lands on the cheek and cheekbone area and even onto clothes. Another problem is that creating a linear or curvilinear uniform lateral edge of eyeliner and/or eye shadow along the lateral portion of an eyelid and eyebrow can be difficult to accomplish. An even further problem is matching the edge of eye makeup applied to the eyelids of the right eye to that of the left eye.

There is a need for a shield and guide for applying eye makeup in such a way that the shield and guide (a) can be removeably adhered to skin under and adjacent the eye, (b) can be used to capture makeup falling from the around the eye during application, (c) can prevent falling makeup from landing on the area of the face below the eye, (d) can be easily removed from the skin without disrupting any underlying makeup, causing skin irritation, or leaving adhesive residue, (e) can be packaged in sets of right and left shield and guides, (f) can be efficiently and inexpensively manufactured, (g) can be easily and discreetly stored in a purse, wallet, or other carry or storage device, and (h) can function as a disposable or reusable device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Additional aspects, features, and advantages of the invention, both as to its structure, assembly, and use, will be understood and become more readily apparent when the invention is considered in light of the following description of illustrative embodiments made in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1A through 1E illustrate various embodiments of geometric shapes of the invention shown as shields for the left eye.

FIGS. 2A through 2C show sets of shields adhered to a peel-away backing.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the invention adhered to skin adjacent the eyes.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention adhered to skin adjacent the eyes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Illustrative and alternative embodiments of a shield and guide for applying eye makeup will be discussed in detail, as follows, with reference to FIGS. 1-4 provided with this application. This invention provides a multiuse makeup shield and guide that can be easily and removeably adhered to skin adjacent to the eye and used for applying eye makeup. Throughout this application, the multiuse makeup shield and guide is referred to generally as shield or shield guide without limitations on its meaning. Although similar aspects of the embodiments of the invention are featured throughout this disclosure and are readily apparent, these similarities will be repeated, as needed, in context with the variations of each embodiment.

A purpose of the invention is to provide shield 10 for capturing makeup, such as, for example, mascara, eyeliner, and eye shadow, that falls from the face or applicator during application of the makeup.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide shield 10 with upper edge 14 (arcuate, curvilinear, linear, or the like) that generally follows the contour of the lower and/or upper eyelid. This upper edge 14 provides a guide for applying eye makeup along the upper and lower eyelids and between the upper eyelid and the eyebrow. The term lateral is used as an anatomical term of location (i.e., lateral as opposed to median). Edge 14 provides a defined edge for applying makeup (e.g., mascara, eyeliner and/or eye shadow) in areas near the eye including, but not limited to, the boarder of the lower eyelid, the boarder of the upper eyelid (e.g., the guide must be inverted), and the skin surface between the upper eyelid to the eyebrow. In specific applications, edge 14 provides a guide for applying eye shadow between the lateral corner of the eye and the lateral end of a corresponding eyebrow. It also provides a guide for creating a matching edge of eye shadow (e.g., a mirror image) on the right and left upper eyelids.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide shield 10 that can be quickly and conveniently adhered to the skin before application of makeup to the eye and, then, be easily removed without irritation of the areas of the skin to which the shield is applied.

Yet another purpose of the invention is to provide shield 10 that can be efficiently and inexpensively manufactured, easily and discreetly stored and transported, disposed of after one use, and/or reused.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention—shield 10—are shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 and described as follows. The figures depict general, non-limiting geometric shapes for the various embodiments of shield 10 for left and right eyes. FIG. 1 shows shield 10 for the left eye, and shield 10 for the right eye would be a mirror image of shield 10 for the left right as shown in FIGS. 2 through 4.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 4, all embodiments of shield 10 are generally flat (with two surfaces) and are flexible. This flexibility permits shield 10 to be adhered to the 3-dimensional contours of the skin around the eyes including the upper and lower eyelids, cheekbones, and eyebrows.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 through 4, the perimeter of shield 10 is defined by end 12, upper edge 14, lower edge 16, and point 18. Referring specifically now to FIGS. 1A through 1E, end 12 may embody a round, square, oval, or other geometrically-shaped edge in communication with upper edge 14 and lower edge 16. Turning again to the same figures, upper edge 14 and lower edge 14 are illustrated as arcuate, straight, or a combination of both (e.g., as shown specifically in FIG. 1C). Upper edge 14 and lower edge 16 taper to meet at point 18 of shield 10 as depicted in FIGS. 1A through 1E. Point 18 may be configured as pointed, squared, or rounded. Additional geometric shapes may be used for the edges for shield 10 so long as the edges fulfill the purposes of the invention.

Shield 10 may be made from material comprising any one or combination of cloth (cotton, silk, or the like), paper, rubber, plastic or polymeric such as polyester, or other woven or non-woven material suitable to meet the purposes of the invention. The material used to make shield 10 may be layered in two or more layers.

In embodiments, the adhesive may be applied to or predisposed on inner surface of shield 10 for removeably adhering shield 10 to the portion of the skin in the area under and adjacent to the lateral aspect of the eyelid. In an illustrative embodiment, shield 10 may be cut from a material that provides adhesive functionality similar to low-adhesion surgical tape (i.e., 3M Medipore), medical tape (i.e., 3M Micropore), first aid tape (Hy-Tape), or similarly configured material with weak to moderate adhesive bonding strength. More specifically, and in certain embodiments, the shield 10 may be cut from low-adhesion surgical tape (i.e., 3M Medipore), medical tape (i.e., 3M Micropore), or first aid tape (Hy-Tape), or similar material predisposed with an adhesive having weak to moderate bonding strength.

The purpose of the adhesive is to removeably adhere the shield 10 to the portion of the skin in the area adjacent the eye as show for example in FIGS. 3 and 4. For example, and as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the shield 10 is shown removeably adhered under and adjacent to the lateral aspect of the eyelid so that the edge 14 provides a guide from the lateral corner of the eye to the lateral part of the eyebrow. Outer surface 22 of shield 10 is the portion of shield 10 that is opposite the inner surface and is outwardly facing (e.g., exposed) when shield 10 is removeably adhered to the skin. Outer surface 22 may be lightly- or roughly-textured and/or statically-charged to assist in capturing makeup that falls during application. In an alternative embodiment, the adhesive with light to strong bonding strength may also be applied to outer surface 22 to further assist in capturing makeup that falls during application.

The adhesive must function to removeably adhere shield 10 to skin in a manner that provides sufficient adhesion to the surface of the skin (without agitating the skin), but without such a strong bonding strength that would require shield 10 to be forcibly ripped from the skin when no longer in use. In an embodiment, the adhesive strength may permit the shield 10 to be removed from skin with makeup applied to it without removing a substantial portion of the already applied-makeup. In any embodiment, it is a characteristic of the adhesive that no—or a miniscule amount of—adhesive residue is left on the skin after shield 10 is used and removed.

The adhesive may be applied to entirely cover the inner surface of shield 10. In an alternative embodiment, the adhesive may be applied to portions of the inner surface of shield 10. For example, and in a manner to limit contact with the skin, the adhesive may only be applied to that portion of the inner surface that lies adjacent to and along upper edge 14 of shield 10. In this embodiment, lower edge 16 of shield 10 can be easily plied away from the skin, gripped, and used to remove shield 10 from the skin. Point 18 may also have a portion without adhesive so that point 18 can be easily plied away from the skin and gripped to peel the shield 10 away from the skin. In an even further embodiment, no adhesive is applied to the shield 10 which can be held in place by hand during application of eye makeup.

Before or during the process of cutting the material into any number of shields 10 for right and left eyes, adhesive may be applied as an entire or partial backing to the side of the material along the surface that will become the inner surface of shield 10. In an embodiment, the adhesive may be applied to the inner surface of shield 10 after being cut from the material. In another embodiment, the adhesive may be applied to outer surface 22 of shield 10 before, during, or after it is cut from the material. In these embodiments, shield 10 with adhesive is adhered to backing 24 (e.g., paper, plastic, foil, or the like) having a non-stick surface so that shield 10 may be easily peeled away from backing 24 for use. In an alternative embodiment, shield 10 may be adhered to backing 24 having an adhesive applied to backing 24. In this example, the adhesive would then partially or fully transfer to shield 10 as each is removed from backing 24.

The geometric shape of shield 10 may be cut from the selected material using dies, lasers, or other suitable instruments for cutting one or more shields 10 from the material. The cutting process may be performed by hand or automation with commercial machinery for high-throughput processing to substantially decrease the manufacturing time and increase output of shields 10 (for both the left and right eye) cut from the material.

Shield 10 may be provided individually or in pairs for use with a right eye and a left eye. For example, shield 10 for use with a left eye (as exemplified in FIGS. 1A through 1E) would be a mirror image of shield 10 for use with a right eye (shown in FIGS. 2A through 2C, 3, and 4). Referring now to FIGS. 2A through 2C, shield 10 may be provided in numerous sets of pairs on backing 24 or with peel-away backing strips (such as those used with a band-aid). Shield 10 may be reused by re-adhering it to backing 24 when no longer in use. Alternatively, shield 10 may be discarded.

In order to use the shield 10 in accordance with the invention, it must first be removed from its backing 24 to expose the adhesive on inner surface 20. Shield 10 is then positioned on the skin of the face below and laterally adjacent to the eye as exemplified in FIG. 3 or 4. The shield 10 is then pressed to the skin to adhere it to the skin.

Of course, the positioning of shield 10 on the face is a matter of preference of the person applying makeup around the eye. In this regard, upper edge 14 of shield 10 may be positioned in any manner to meet the purpose of the invention. For example, upper edge 14 may be used to create a line from the lateral corner of the eye to a lateral aspect of an eyebrow as shown in FIG. 4. Then, upper edge 14 may be used as a guide to draw a line of eyeliner and/or provide a definitive edge for eye shadow application at points between the lateral corner of the eye and the lateral aspect of the eyebrow. The lateral demarcation of applied eye shadow and/or eyeliner will present a uniform line (linear or curvilinear).

Eyeliner and/or eye shadow can be applied according to the preferences of the person using the guide. As previously mentioned, right and left version of shield 10 may be used for applying makeup to the right eye and left eye 100 as shown, for example, in FIG. 4. In alternative embodiments, the shield 10 can be adhered to the upper eyelid so that the edge 14 is positioned generally adjacent to the contour of the upper eyelid and then used to apply eyeliner to the upper eyelid. In any use of the invention, and when application of the desired type and form of makeup around the eye is completed, shield 10 may be removed and either discarded or adhered to backing for reuse.

While the invention has been described above in conjunction with specific embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, permutations, and variations will become apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention embraces all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims below. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A shield guide for applying makeup around the eye comprising: a flat pliable member having an upper edge and a lower edge that extend from an end and meet at a point; the flat pliable member having an inner surface and an outer surface opposed to the inner surface; and wherein the upper edge has a length configured to extend from about the inner corner of an eye along the lower eyelid to a lateral aspect of an eyebrow; and wherein the length of the upper arcuate edge is shorter than a length of the lower edge.
 2. The shield guide of claim 1 wherein the inner surface has an adhesive with a weak to moderate bonding strength applied thereto.
 3. The shield guide of claim 2 wherein the adhesive is provided on the entire inner surface.
 4. The shield guide of claim 2 wherein the adhesive is provided on the inner surface adjacent the upper edge.
 5. The shield guide of claim 2 wherein an adhesive is also provided on the outer surface.
 6. The shield guide of claim 2 wherein a backing is applied to at least one eye shield guide.
 7. The shield guide of claim 6 wherein the backing is applied to at least one set of right and left eye shield guides.
 8. The shield guide of claim 1 wherein an adhesive is applied to a backing and the shield guide is adhered to the backing.
 9. The shield guide of claim 1 wherein the flat pliable member comprises cloth, paper, plastic or polymeric, or other woven or non-woven material, or any combination thereof.
 10. The shield guide of claim 1 wherein the upper edge is arcuate.
 11. The shield guide of claim 10 wherein a straight edge is provided along at least a portion of the upper edge.
 12. The shield guide of claim 1 wherein the lower edge comprises an arcuate edge, a straight edge, or a combination of both an arcuate edge and a straight edge.
 13. The shield guide of claim 1 wherein the point comprises a tapered end or a rounded end.
 14. The shield guide of claim 1 wherein the end comprises a round, square, oval, or tapered edge.
 15. A method of using at least one pliable shield guide comprising: positioning an upper edge of the pliable shield guide adjacent to and lateral from an eye; pressing the at least one shield guide to the skin to adhere the shield guide to the skin; and applying makeup above or below the eye.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the upper edge extends from about the inner corner of the eye along the lower eyelid to a lateral aspect of an eyebrow.
 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the upper edge is positioned adjacent to the upper eyelid.
 18. The method of claim 15 wherein the method comprises the further step of using the pliable shield guide to attract and capture makeup that falls during application of the makeup.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein the method comprises the further step of removing the shield guide from the skin after makeup in applied.
 20. A kit comprising: a set of right and left shield guides for applying makeup adjacent the eye, each shield guide comprising a flat pliable member having an upper edge and a lower edge that extend from an end and meet at a point, an inner surface and an outer surface opposed to the inner surface, and an adhesive having a weak to moderate bonding strength provided on at least a portion of the inner surface; and a peel-away backing having adhered thereto the set of right and left shield guides. 